Iowa breaks tornado record

Iowa’s been hit with 110 tornadoes this year, that’s more than ever before and tornado season isn’t over — as it never truly ends. That 110-mark beats the previous record of 105 twisters set in 2001. Last year, Iowa only recorded 28 tornadoes. Jeff Johnson, the National Weather Service’s warning coordination meteorologist, breaks the long list down by month.There were five tornadoes in Iowa during April, 47 in May, 28 in June, only three in July, then 17 twisters in August which is “very active” for August, and ten so far in September. While tornadoes can drop from the sky during -any- month, Johnson says there is a tornado season. He says April, May and June account for about 70-percent of Iowa’s tornadoes on average, while a secondary season may extend from July through September. Twisters usually don’t appear during the colder months but Johnson says Iowa’s had them in December and January before. Even though it’s been a record year for the number of tornadoes, he says no one’s been killed by them in Iowa. While there have been a number of injuries, there have been -no- deaths, which Johnson attributes to a combination of people getting the warnings and taking cover along with a little bit of luck. This year’s worst tornado so far hit the northwest Iowa town of Bradgate on May 21st, damaging or demolishing every home in the town and injuring 13 people.